alex savage, ktvu channel 2 morning news. >>> an active search is underway for a missing hiker. sheriff's deputies say he parked his car at the top of the hill and apparently became lost after going off trail. people have not been able to reach him by cell phone. >>> avoiding the fiscal cliff, the measure now goes to the house of representatives. >> at the stroke of midnight many americans were ringing in the new year but the mood in washington was much more serious. vice-president joseph biden went to capitol hill after senate leaders struck a deal with the white house. the senate went back into session and around 2:00 a.m. they had a bill. >> as amended, it was passed. >> reporter: they put off spending cuts for two months and keeps off bush tax cuts for people earning less than $450,000. senator harry reid said their goal was to protect america's middle-class. >> middle-class families will wake up today to the assurance their taxes will not go up 2,200 dollars each. they will have the certainty of how they will pay for groceries and car payments all during next year. >> mitch